Senate leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks at a press conference at the US Capitol in Washington on January 26, 2021.
Al Drago | Reuters
Senate leaders reached an agreement to hand over control of committees to Democrats two weeks after the party took control of the chamber, majority leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday.
The New York Democrat struck a deal with minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., On how to share power in a 50-50 senate split. The two struggled for weeks over how to structure the Senate’s rules, technically putting Republicans in control of committees deciding when to move forward with nominations and legislation.
Schumer said the Senate will pass the organizing resolution later Wednesday. Approval means that “committees can be set up quickly and get started with Democrats holding the gavels,” he added.
Republicans worked with Democrats to confirm several of President Joe Biden’s nominees while still holding the power of the committee. The Senate approved Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday, giving Biden six cabinet members who were confirmed by the chamber.
Still, the GOP scrutiny threatened to delay the approval of at least one of Biden’s nominees. The top Republican and Democrat on the Judicial Committee, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Dick Durbin of Illinois, respectively, disagreed on when to hold a hearing for the nominee Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The deal comes as Democrats try to approve a $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package to support the health care system and economy. They have begun fine-tuning the budget, allowing them to pass a bill with only Democratic votes in the Senate.
A budget resolution, which the Chamber hopes to pass this week, instructs committee chairmen to draft provisions in the bailout package. Schumer and the new committee leaders plan to meet with Biden on Wednesday.
This story develops. Please check again for updates.
Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.